Volkswagen Jetta

A niche of its own.

There are so many choices in the 4-door compact sedan market that it's difficult for manufacturers to stand out — especially when customer expectations of value and equipment are high. With this in mind, Volkswagen set out to redesign the new Jetta to offer more — a larger package, more power and amenities — while keeping sticker prices in check.

It has largely succeeded with the fifth-generation Jetta (codenamed A5), which is now clearly a distinct model line of its own, rather than just a Golf with a trunk. Built in Puebla, Mexico, the only worldwide source for the car, the Jetta has a clean, contemporary shape. At first the nose appears almost Corolla-like, but upon closer inspection, the VW vibes come through, from the new shield-shaped grille opening to the formal break in the C-pillar that mimics the Phaeton flagship.

This larger Jetta is intended to straddle the gap between entry-level cars like the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic and their larger siblings, the Camry and Accord. The Jetta's wheelbase is up 2.6 in. to 101.5 in., while overall length has grown 7.0 in. to 179.3, and the car is an inch wider at 69.3 in. This provides a roomy cabin and ample rear seat room for adults.

Part of the appeal of this upscale look to the Jetta is the detailing. Even base models feature such items as a chrome kickplate in the trunk, damped passenger-assist handles and power windows and door locks. One odd feature on midline models is a seat that has manual fore-aft adjustment and power rake adjustment, which is exactly the opposite of industry norm.

Beneath the hood, VW also plays the "tweener" game by offering a 2.5-liter inline 5-cylinder that produces 150 bhp as the base engine. That's up substantially from the previous model's base 115-bhp 2.0-liter four.

The new Jetta: not as distinctive, but with a handsome interior and improved handling dynamics.

The new engine is mated to a seamless-shifting 6-speed automatic, which will be the only transmission available at launch. A 5-speed manual will follow two months later, as will a 1.9-liter inline-4 turbodiesel and a 200-bhp 2.0-liter turbo-charged gasoline four.

These two engines will have 6-speed manuals and the optional 6-speed twin-clutch Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) sequential shift manual with no clutch pedal.

Dynamically, the Jetta is a solid performer. The switch from a torsion beam to a multilink independent rear suspension has increased the car's limits and made it more agile than the car it replaces. Detroit manufacturers should note the electrically assisted power steering on the Jetta. It provides ample feedback, a nice variable assist that changes imperceptibly with vehicle speed. It has great on-center feel and the car is quick to turn in. Even though there are improvements in the rear suspension, the Jetta still exhibits a modicum of understeer when pushed into a corner, but nothing that is out of order for a front-drive car.

While the engine offers more power and pulls well in lower gears, the larger and more nicely appointed A5 Jetta left us yearning for a bit more under the hood, despite that 90 percent of the engine's 170 lb.-ft. of torque is available at just 1750 rpm. The engine is fairly muted, but there's a bit of dissonance at the top of the rev range. The automatic, with its Tiptronic shift mode, is silky-smooth and while there is a Sport setting that ostensibly remaps shift points, the only thing I could discern from engaging Sport was that the overdrive 6th gear locked out.

The Jetta is a pleasant car to drive, especially when equipped with such items as XM satellite radio, onboard navigation, dual-zone climate controls and a sunroof. Pricing for the base models is expected to start at around $18,000 for the 5-speed manual and $19,000 for the automatic. Even if you throw in some alloy wheels to replace the stock 15-in. steel rims, the Jetta comes handsomely equipped for around $20,000. All in all, not a bad place to be in a crowded market.

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